The present invention is, in general, in the field of walking sticks, and, in particular, in the field of multi-functional walking sticks.
Walking sticks are used to help stabilize walkers when walking, hiking, traversing, climbing, and the like. A problem with walking sticks is that, minus a few exceptions, they have generally only been used to help stabilize walkers and not for other purposes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,210,493 describes a multi-functional walking stick that includes an attached bag to carry items. A problem with this walking stick is that the accompanying bag is large, clumsy, obstructive and limited in its usefulness. U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,735 describes a multi-functional walking stick that includes an integrated flashlight for illuminating a road or path when walking at night. This walking stick is also limited in its usefulness. If a hiker wants to use the walking stick of U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,735 for a hike of any significant duration and length, the hiker would have to separately carry all the requisite items for the hike on his or her body separately. These problems and others are addressed by the walking stick and method of use of the present invention.
The present invention involves a multi-functional walking stick that holds a variety of useful and safety-enhancing tools and devices in an efficient manner that eliminates the need to separately carry similar tools and devices on one""s body when walking, hiking, traversing, climbing, and the like.
Another aspect of the invention involves a multi-functional walking stick including an elongated, generally cylindrical shaft having a bottom, a bottom portion, a middle portion, a top, and a top portion having a threaded interior. A flashlight is detachably connected to the top of the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft. The flashlight includes a bendable base having a threaded exterior. The bendable base is threadingly engaged to the threaded interior of the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft. A flashlight head is rotatably connected to the bendable base. The flashlight head includes a housing, a detachable annular cover, and a novelty lens secured to the housing with the detachable annular cover. A compass unit is carried by the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft. A clock unit is carried by the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft. A hand grip circumferentially surrounds the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft. Multiple peg holes are vertically spaced along the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft. Multiple detachable devices each include at least one flexible connector peg to detachably connect the multiple detachable devices to the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft via the multiple peg holes. A cap is fixed to the bottom of the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft. The cap includes a tapered-outward bottom with a textured, friction, no-slip underside.
A further aspect of the invention involves a method of using a multi-functional walking stick. The method includes the steps of providing a multi-functional walking stick including an elongated, generally cylindrical shaft having a bottom, a bottom portion, a middle portion, a top, and a top portion having a threaded interior; a flashlight detachably connected to the top of the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft, the flashlight including a bendable base having a threaded exterior, the bendable base threadingly engaged to the threaded interior of the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft, a flashlight head rotatably connected to the bendable base, the flashlight head including a housing, a detachable annular cover, and a novelty lens secured to the housing with the detachable annular cover; a compass unit carried by the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft; a clock unit carried by the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft; a hand grip circumferentially surrounding the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft; multiple pegs holes vertically spaced along the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft; multiple detachable devices each including at least one flexible connector peg to detachably connect the multiple detachable devices to the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft via the multiple pegs holes; and a cap fixed to the bottom of the elongated, generally cylindrical shaft, the cap including a tapered-outward bottom with a textured, friction, no-slip, underside; detaching the annular cover from the housing of the flashlight head; replacing the novelty lens with a different interchangeable novelty lens; and attaching the annular cover to the housing of the flashlight head so that the different interchangeable novelty lens is secured to the housing of the flashlight head.
Further objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a review of the drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments set forth below.